Sick Of It report – Poor Treatment

Even when Deaf people have been diagnosed, they are less likely than hearing people to be treated properly or effectively. We found this with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Deaf people who’ve been told they have high blood pressure are three times more likely than everyone else to still not have it under control, 62% of Deaf people compared with 20% generally. They are also less likely to be on medication for the condition (only 36% compared with 57% in the wider population).

Where high cholesterol is a problem, Deaf people are far less likely than others to be given treatments to reduce it, such as statins. Less than one in three Deaf people are prescribed a treatment. It’s more than two in three for the general population.

Our research also shows that many Deaf people are unsure why they are taking their medication. It seems doctors aren’t making sure their Deaf patients understand what is wrong, or what their treatment and medication is for.